Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Market factors
- Consumers spending longer accessing social networking sites
- Social networks facing calls for regulation in the UK
- More unattached consumers points to strong market for dating apps
- Facebook a test case for GDPR
- Companies, brands and innovations
- The consumer
- Irish consumers continue logging on to Facebook regularly
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- Figure 1: Types of social networks that consumers log on to regularly (ie log on at least once per week), NI and RoI, March 2019
- Majority of Irish consumers regularly use YouTube
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- Figure 2: Types of media networks that consumers log on to regularly (ie log on at least once per week), NI and RoI, March 2019
- WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger the main messaging apps used
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- Figure 3: Types of messenger apps that consumers log on to regularly (ie log on at least once per week), NI and RoI, March 2019
- Dating app usage low in Ireland
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- Figure 4: Dating apps that consumers have used in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Irish consumers engaging with entertaining content
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- Figure 5: Types of content consumers ‘like’ (eg via private messages, on your profile) on social and media networks most often, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Figure 6: Types of content consumers share (eg via private messages, on your profile) on social and media networks most often, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Taking a break from social media important
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- Figure 7: Agreement with statements related to social and media networks, NI and RoI, March 2019
- What we think
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Consumers spending longer on social networks
- Facebook to enable communication across its family of apps
- Unattached people create growth opportunities for dating apps
- Self-harm content being removed from Instagram
Market Drivers
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- Time spent using social networking sites increases
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- Figure 8: Average time spent using social networking sites per day, UK (including NI), 2017 and 2018
- Advertising on social networking sites effective
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- Figure 9: Consumers who think advertisements on social networks are effective (noticeable), NI and RoI, June 2018
- Facebook to merge Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram
- Google+ shuts down
- Young men are heavy dating app users
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- Figure 10: Average time spent using dating apps per day, by gender, UK (including NI), January 2018
- Growing unattached population presents opportunities for dating apps
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- Figure 11: Population aged 15 and over, by marital status, RoI, 2011 and 2016
- Figure 12: Number of marriages and divorces granted, NI, 2011-16
- Facebook faces GDPR law suit
- Irish consumers optimistic on GDPR
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- Figure 13: How well Irish consumers think the General Data Protection Regulation will protect their personal data, NI and RoI, June 2018
- Calls for social networks to be regulated over harmful content
- Instagram bans self-harm content on its app
Market in Context
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- Case study: Avoca
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
- Case study: Boojum
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
- Case study: Cool FM
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
- Case study: Jawbox
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
- Case study: SuperValu
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Google+ shuts down for consumers
- LinkedIn partnering with Adobe
- Reddit set to open office in Dublin
- Platforms moving to integrate advertising with checkouts
- Snap Inc introduce gaming platform
Who’s Innovating
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- Alphabet’s YouTube is investing in creating interactive programming
- Facebook using Artificial Intelligence to review notifications procedure
- Instagram testing an alteration to its design
- Match Group redesign Hinge dating app to encourage deletion
- UK government’s ‘Online Harms’ white paper proposes a new watchdog
Competitive Strategies – Key Players
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- Company
- Alphabet Inc.
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Flickr
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Snap Inc.
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Facebook regularly used by Irish consumers
- Irish consumers prefer video content when using media networks
- WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger remain most popular messaging platforms
- Engagement with social media content higher among NI consumers
- Consumers want social networks to do more to improve their platforms
Usage of Social Networking Sites
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- Consumers logging onto Facebook regularly
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- Figure 14: Types of social networks that consumers log on to regularly (ie log on at least once per week), NI and RoI, March 2019
- Twitter popular among ABC1s
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- Figure 15: Consumers who log on to Twitter regularly (ie log on at least once per week), by social class, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Irish women are key Facebook users
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- Figure 16: Consumers who log on to Facebook regularly (ie log on at least once per week), by gender and age, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Employed consumers using LinkedIn
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- Figure 17: Consumers who log on to LinkedIn regularly (ie log on at least once per week), by working status, NI and RoI, March 2019
Usage of Media Networking Sites
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- YouTube the media network of choice
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- Figure 18: Types of media networks that consumers log on to regularly (ie log on at least once per week), NI and RoI, March 2019
- Irish women key Pinterest users
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- Figure 19: Consumers who log on to Pinterest regularly (ie log on at least once per week), by gender and age, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Affluent consumers show a preference for Instagram
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- Figure 20: Consumers who log on to Instagram regularly (ie log on at least once per week), by social class, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Millennials regularly using YouTube
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- Figure 21: Consumers who log on to YouTube regularly (ie log on at least once per week), by gender and age, NI and RoI, March 2019
Usage of Messenger Apps and Dating Sites
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- Facebook-owned platforms dominate messaging service usage
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- Figure 22: Types of messenger apps that consumers log on to regularly (ie log on at least once per week), NI and RoI, March 2019
- Snapchat popular with younger consumers
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- Figure 23: Consumers who log on to Snapchat regularly (ie log on at least once per week), by age, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Millennials regularly accessing WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger
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- Figure 24: Consumers who log on to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger regularly (ie log on at least once per week), by generation, NI, March 2019
- Figure 25: Consumers who log on to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger regularly (ie log on at least once per week), by generation, RoI, March 2019
- Most consumers don’t use dating apps
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- Figure 26: Dating apps that consumers have used in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, March 2019
Type of Content Shared and Liked on Social and Media Networks
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- Entertaining content shared by Irish consumers
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- Figure 27: Types of content consumers share (eg via private messages, on your profile) on social and media networks most often, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Affluent consumers share most types of content on social media
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- Figure 28: Types of content consumers share (eg via private messages, on your profile) on social and media networks most often, by social class, NI, March 2019
- Figure 29: Types of content consumers share (eg via private messages, on your profile) on social and media networks most often, by social class, RoI, March 2019
- Consumers ‘liking’ funny content on social networks
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- Figure 30: Types of content consumers ‘like’ (eg via private messages, on your profile) on social and media networks most often, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Irish women ‘liking’ personal updates
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- Figure 31: Consumers who have ‘liked’ personal photos/articles/videos (eg selfie, holiday pictures) content on social and media networks, by gender, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Younger consumers ‘like’ humorous content
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- Figure 32: Consumers who have ‘liked’ comedy/humorous content on social and media networks, by generation, NI and RoI, March 2019
Attitudes towards Social and Media Networks
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- Social networks need to do more to stop negative behaviour
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- Figure 33: Agreement with statements related to social and media networks, NI and RoI, March 2019
- 16-24-year-olds use social networks a source of brand information
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- Figure 34: Agreement with the statement ‘Social networking sites are a better source of brand/company information compared to company websites’, by gender and age, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Women most concerned about impact of social media on children
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- Figure 35: Agreement with the statement ‘The impact that social media networks have on children's development is concerning, by gender, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Figure 36: Agreement with the statement ‘It is important to take time away from social media networks each day, by gender, NI and RoI, March 2019
- Older consumers looking more clarity on social network guidelines
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- Figure 37: Agreement with the statement ‘There should be more transparency surrounding the rules and guidelines for using social media networks’, by age, NI and RoI, March 2019
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Data sources
- Generational cohort definitions
- Abbreviations
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